Good writing evidently comes from the heart as this picture tries to tell us.

Arliss Howard, as the painter who wants to write, experiences rejection upon rejection letters from various publishing houses.

His personal life is in the tank as well. Separated from his wife, played quite well by Debra Winger, who again shares her term of endearment, the Howard character has trouble with the bottle and is constantly smoking throughout the film.

Angie Dickinson appears as his mother and Roseanna Arquette offers fine support as a town lady.

Everyone within the family seems to be running. Are they running from this film? What's the point of all this? This question is really never answered. Does life change when personal tragedy strikes? Of course, but the theme is so emotionally attached, that it is never really realized.

Emotionally on the run from a family tragedy which ruined his marriage, a Mississippi writer--struggling with his new novel--is locked in limbo between the past and the present. Star Arliss Howard, pulling a Rip Torn, also directed and co-adapted the screenplay with James Howard, based upon stories by Larry Brown (which play out here like diluted Henry Miller). Arliss Howard has obviously seen a lot of movies and knows a lot of tricks; his flights-of-fancy have touches of Fellini and Kubrick, yet his lead performance isn't the least bit convincing. As a result, the picture, a labor of love for Howard and real-life spouse Debra Winger (also a producer and co-star),contains all the ingredients for an arty hothouse flower but none of the punch. "Big Bad Love" is an unconventional film which certainly gave employment to many underused actors, yet it doesn't even attempt to entertain us with ironic or wistful images...it's too preoccupied with being Art. ** from ****

One has to admire an actor like Arliss Howard for his courage in bringing this film to the screen. It is a painful story to watch, but it has its own rewards. The movie played locally only for a very short time, and sadly, it disappeared until it was shown recently on cable, for which we are grateful.

Perhaps with another director, some of the kinks in the film would have been ironed out. There are scenes that are just too painful to watch. Our hearts go out to Barlow and what he is going through at this time of his life. His writing is brilliant, but most everyone he submits his novels to, end up rejecting them. Barlow cannot take another defeat in his life.

To make matters worse, his divorce from Marilyn is driving him insane. We often wonder how these two unmatched pair thought they were going to make it at all. In bad marriages, both parties remain bitter over every little detail dictated by the court when they must separate.

Arliss Howard, as Barlow gives a heart felt performance. We see him sinking lower and lower without a safety net to hold him. Unfortunately, Debra Winger's time on screen is very short. Ms Winger makes this woman an enigma since we don't really know where her head is at. The other actors are good. Paul Le Mat, Rosanna Arquette and above all, a short, but very excellent turn by Angie Dickinson, make us care about the fate of these people.